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Avast One vs Bear Notes

Avast One logo

Avast One

Software

All-in-one protection for your digital life

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Bear Notes logo

Bear Notes

Software

Beautiful note-taking app for Apple devices

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Avast One ransomware and Wi-Fi vulnerability protection only on paid plans; Bear Notes apple only: Bear runs on Mac, iPhone and iPad with no Windows, Android or web app
  • They diverge on capability: Avast One covers Antivirus, Bear Notes covers Markdown-based notes.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Avast One and Bear Notes actually diverge.

Attributes where Avast One and Bear Notes differ
AttributeAvast OneBear Notes
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
PlatformsWindows, macOS, iOS, AndroidMacOS, IOS, IPadOS
Founded19882015

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Avast One

  • Antivirus
  • Firewall
  • VPN
  • Data breach monitoring
  • Email Guardian
  • Webcam Shield
  • Ransomware Shield
  • Performance optimization

Only in Bear Notes

  • Markdown-based notes
  • Powerful tag system
  • Rich text formatting
  • Image support
  • iCloud sync
  • Dark and light themes
  • Encryption support
  • Backup and restore

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Avast One

  • Antivirusnot Bear Notes
  • Internet Securitynot Bear Notes
  • Privacy Toolsnot Bear Notes

Bear Notes

  • Markdown note taking on Apple devicesnot Avast One
  • Organising notes with nested hashtags rather than foldersnot Avast One
  • Exporting notes to PDF, DOCX, HTML or ePubnot Avast One

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Avast One

  • Ransomware and Wi-Fi vulnerability protection only on paid plans
  • Free plan VPN is limited, no data breakthrough monitoring
  • Rebuilt app in May 2026 may have stability issues

Bear Notes

  • Apple only: Bear runs on Mac, iPhone and iPad with no Windows, Android or web app
  • Sync across devices requires Bear Pro and works through iCloud only
  • The free version is limited to 3 export formats, 3 themes and 1 app icon
  • OCR search inside images and PDFs is Pro only
  • Note encryption is Pro only
  • The Pro trial lasts 7 days

Pricing, plan by plan

Avast One

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Antivirus
    • Limited VPN
    • Privacy tools
  • Silver$2.99/month
    • Enhanced antivirus
    • VPN
    • Device cleanup
  • Premium$4.19/month
    • Full antivirus
    • VPN with 55 servers
    • Password manager
  • Premium Plus$11.67/month
    • All Premium features
    • 30 devices covered

Bear Notes

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Note creation and organization
    • Tags
    • Local sync
  • Premium$1.99/month
    • iCloud sync
    • Themes
    • Markdown export

Which should you pick?

Choose Avast One if

  • You need antivirus.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android.
  • You also want firewall.
Avast One review

Choose Bear Notes if

  • You need markdown-based notes.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on MacOS, IOS, IPadOS.
  • You also want powerful tag system.
Bear Notes review

Questions people ask

Is Avast One or Bear Notes better?
Neither clearly leads. Avast One starts at Free and Bear Notes at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Avast One or Bear Notes?
Avast One starts at Free and Bear Notes at Free.
Does Avast One or Bear Notes run on more platforms?
Avast One runs on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android. Bear Notes runs on MacOS, IOS, IPadOS.
Can I use Avast One for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Avast One best used for?
Avast One is most often used for antivirus, internet security, privacy tools. Of those, antivirus and internet security are not what Bear Notes is typically brought in for.
What can Avast One do that Bear Notes cannot?
Avast One covers Antivirus, Firewall, VPN, Data breach monitoring. Bear Notes covers Markdown-based notes, Powerful tag system, Rich text formatting, Image support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Avast One: Is Avast One free?

Yes. Avast One offers a free tier with antivirus, VPN (limited), and privacy tools. Paid plans start at $2.99/month for Silver and $4.19/month for Premium covering up to 5 devices.

Source
Avast One: What does Avast One include?

Avast One provides antivirus, VPN, password manager, device cleanup, Wi-Fi security, data breach monitoring, and protection against AI-generated scams and deepfakes.

Source
Avast One: Does Avast One have ransomware protection?

Ransomware protection is available only on paid plans, not the free tier. Free users get antivirus and basic protection only.

Source
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